​SINALOA, a N. state of Mexico, bounded N. by Sonora and
Chihuahua, E. by Durango, S. by Tepic, and W. by the Gulf of
California, with a coast line of nearly 400 m. Area, 33,671 sq. m.
Pop. (1900), 296,701, largely Indians. The surface consists
of a narrow coastal zone where tropical conditions prevail, a
broad belt of mountainous country covered by the ranges of the
Sierra Madre Occidental and their intervening valleys where
oak and pine forests are to be found, and an intervening zone
among the foothills of the Sierra Madre up to an elevation of
2000 ft., where the conditions are subtropical. The state is
traversed by numerous streams, the largest of which have broad
valleys among the foothills. The largest of these are the Culiacán,
Fuerte and Sinaloa, the last two having short navigable courses
across the lowlands.

Rain is plentiful everywhere, except in the extreme north, where
the conditions are arid. The climate of the low-lying coast lands is
hot and malarious, but in the mountains it is cool and healthy.
Cereals and mezcal are produced on the uplands, and sugar, rum,
coffee, tobacco, grape spirits and fruit in the lower zones. There
are excellent cotton lands in the state and the production of this
staple was largely developed during the American Civil War, but
it has since declined. Grazing receives considerable attention in
the uplands, where the temperature is favourable and the pastureage
good, and hides are largely exported. Mining, however, is the
chief industry, Sinaloa being one of the richest mineral-producing
states in the republic. Gold, silver, copper, iron and lead are found.
There are also salt deposits and mineral springs. The best-known
silver mines are the Rosario, from which about $90,000,000 had
been extracted up to the last decade of the 19th century, and the
Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de los Reyes, discovered early in the
19th century and yielding over $85,000,000 before its close. The
forest products of the state include rubber, resins, cabinet and
dye-woods, deerskins, orchilla and ixtle fibre. Up to the beginning of
the 20th century Sinaloa had only one short railway, which
connected Culiacán with its port Altata. Since then the Mexican
branch of the (American) Southern Pacific railway from Nogales to
Guaymas has been extended S.E. along the coast. Sinaloa has
excellent natural harbours, only two of which—Mazatlán and
Altata—are much used. The bays of Agiobampo and Topolobampo
are prospective railway terminals with fine harbours. The capital
of the state is Culiacán Rosales (commonly called Culiacán), on the
Culiacán river 59 m. from its port, Altata, at the mouth of the same
river, with which it is connected by rail. It is a well-built town,
with some thriving manufactures, including cotton goods, cigarettes,
liqueurs, &c. It is the see of a bishop and has a fine cathedral.
Culiacán (pop. in 1900, 10,380) is the distributing centre for a large
district between Guaymas and Mazatlán. The most important
town is Mazatlán, one of the leading ports of Mexico on the Pacific
coast, and the commercial centre for S. Sinaloa and N. Durango.
Other towns are Mocorito (pop. 9971 in 1895), Sinaloa and Fuerte,
all in the N. of the state, Rosario (pop. 8448 in 1900), and San
Ignacio in the S.